Improvement in car-platforms



B. J. norm. CAR-PLATFORM.

Patented Nov, 30, 1875'.

N. PETERS. PNOTO-LITHDGRAVPHER, WASHXNGTON, u c,

UNITED STATES PATENT O FICE;

BERNARD J. LA MOTHE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y. I

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-PLATFORMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 170,480, dated November30, 1875; application filed October 11, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BERNARD J. LA MOTHE, of the city and State of NewYork, have invented an Improvement in Metallic Oar-Platforms, of whichthe following is aspecification:

Metallic car-platforms have been made of iron tubes running transverselyand longitudinally. Devices of this general character will be found inpatents heretofore granted to me in a pending application.

My present invention relates to a peculiarlyconstructed transom-beam, tobe used at the king-bolt or center-pin, by which the truckframe isconnected with the car-platform. I make said transom-beam of iron,hollow, and of an oblong form sectionally, and pass the iron tubes orrods of the platform directly through the said transom-beam, and securethe parts together, so that the said transombeain becomes part of theplatform, and receives the weight of the car and supports the same uponthe truck.

This construction of transom-beam allows the floor of the car to belower than now usual, because it comes within the frame-work of thefloor instead of below it. and at the same time the parts are notweakened, as usual with wooden transom-beams where the floor-timbers arenotched into the transom-beam, and both are thereby weakened. v

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a plan, and Fig. 2 is a cross-section, ofthe-improved transoul-beam.

The sides a a, top I), and bottom 0 of said beam are preferably made ofone plate of iron, bent at the angles, and forminga hollow tube of anoblong shape seetionally, and the edges of such metal plate may beunited by rivets, if desired. The metallic tubes or bars 6 of thecar-platform pass entirely through the sides a a of this transom-beam..The other portions of the platform may be of any desired conbetween thesides a a of the transom-beam,

and to pass the tubes 0 through such thinnbles, and secure them asaforesaid.

When two transom-beams are placed side by side, which is preferable, asshown, then the king-bolt of the truck will pass through a block, Z,secured between said beams; but where only a single beam is used theblock for the bolt will be within it.

I claim as my invention The transom-beam of a car-platform, made ofplate-iron, with the metal tubes or rods 6 of the platform runningthrough the sides a a of such transom-beam, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 6th day of October, 1875.

B. J. LA MOTHE.

Witnesses:

GEO. T. PINoKNEY, GEO. D. WALKER.

